REVIEW – Elect by Rachel Van Dyken

Would you die for the one you love?
Nixon Abandonato made his choice. And now he has to pay the price. Tracey is the love of his life, but being with him has made her a target of his family’s enemies. The only way to keep Trace alive is convince the world she means nothing to him.

Trace Rooks has fallen irrevocably in love with the son of her family’s sworn rival, and she knows in her bones nothing can tear them apart. Until Nix suddenly pushes her away and into the arms of his best friend… But Trace isn’t ready to give up on a future with Nix–and if he won’t fight for them, she will.

In the end, a sacrifice must be made. A life for a life. For what better way to cover a multitude of sins than with the blood of a sinner . . .

With Elect, Rachel Van Dyken seems to have found every single possible way to rip my heart out with just words. Trace, Nixon, Chase, and the rest of the Eagle Elite crew face down their pasts and the secrets buried by their families in this novel, taking us on a journey plagued by lies, tragedy, and too many ghosts. I lost myself effortlessly in this story, reveling in the thrill and suspense that makes this series so addicting. Rachel Van Dyken made me feel in a way that took me by surprise. My heart physically ached as the relationships changed and our characters were dealt serious heartbreak. I cried, several times, overwhelmed by the way in which I had become attached to these characters, their grief becoming my own. Elect is darker than Elite and delves more deeply into the mafia world which kept me completely enthralled. There’s definitely no going back now, this series is one you HAVE to see through to the end. Get ready because Elect will leave you with a serious book hangover!

“But I guess if I wasn’t scared shitless, she wouldn’t be worth it, right?”

The characters continue to get stronger with each addition to this series, growing in ways that give them a genuine and familiar feeling. Their interactions with each other and with new characters, along with revelations about their pasts continue to develop them for the readers. Rachel Van Dyken delivers lovable and relatable characters that you can’t help but connect with in some way. I wasn’t prepared for the toll Trace, Nixon, and Chase’s journey would take on my heart, crushing me under the emotional weight of their relationships and further proving my investment in them. I adored the introduction of new characters like Sergio, Mil, and Luca, who gave me a lot to look forward to in future books. I can already tell that I’m going to love Mil and her badass, strong woman vibe. The unconditional love, long-time friendship, and unwavering loyalty between this group continues to cement itself in my mind as Rachel Van Dyken grows her characters with each passing page.

“Even in your death you’d win, Nixon.” He paused. “Because you fought, and regardless of the outcome, your success was in the journey.”

There was so much action and excitement in this book that I didn’t even realize I was close to the end until I was done. Elect had me hooked instantly and I was easily swept up in the search for truth about Tracey’s family and the mafias’ secrets. Emotions run dangerously hot in Elect, consuming readers with the soaring highs and devastating lows of this story. Rachel Van Dyken expertly balanced the seriousness and suspense of Elect with humor that surprised me at just the right moments. Just as I’d be falling down the dark mafia rabbit hole, Rachel would remind me of her characters’ youth and vulnerability with an immature joke or cheesy innuendo, making me laugh. I really am in awe of the complexity of this series’ plotline, admiring the tangled web of characters and carefully crafted histories of the various mafia families. Rachel Van Dyken has done a remarkable job foreshadowing the rest of the series and I can’t wait to see what’s in store for the Eagle Elite family next!

Rachel Van Dyken has done it again! It seems that no matter what environment she sets her characters in, she hits these grand slams with the execution. Elite set the scene and gave us a taste of the mafia world and behavior while Elect just dove deeper and gave us more action – and more romance!

This installation of the Elite series pulled at every single heart string in my body. I loved getting to see more of Chase, but was sad to get less of Nixon. I loved seeing Trace become stronger and learn about her past, but was sad to see how torn she became. The brotherhood that we got to get a further glimpse into was also extremely touching. I loved absolutely everything about this book. Oh, and I also loved bringing in more of the background on some secondary characters, such as Phoenix.

It’s difficult to review this book without giving away any spoilers because of how many twists existed that were explored in Elect. However, I will say that it is one of those stories you absolutely a sit and devour because of how difficult it is to put down. Every time I thought I’d be approaching a stopping point, I got hit with another turn and had to keep reading. It’s quick, fun, and has a little bit of everything — drama, suspense, and of course romance. I absolutely can’t wait to see what Rachel does with the gang, no pun intended, in Entice!